bland_boy's Xanga

The Kingdom of God

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 04:35:12 GMT

Do you ever wake up in the morning feeling disappointed? When I was a child I had several dreams about being a ninja turtle. I would fight my dark foes, and at the end of the day I would sit back, relax, and enjoy a pizza. Yes, your dream world… were anything can happen, and things seem to go your way. The life you had in the dream was so real, and so serene. You almost wish to fall asleep again in order to stay in that wishful environment. And it saddens us when we have to come to our senses and admit that it was only a dream. That world does not exist, and we convince our selves that that dream could never happen. Then once again we return to the mundane… the punching the time clock… day in day out life. Yet that dream lingers inside us. We want that dream to be true… we want the hope that it gave to be real. Yet we fight agianst it. C. S Lewis speaks about this in the Magician’s Nephew. Digory’s mother is sick, and she has been for a while. Digory begins to think back to the world that he had just visited and begins to hope that something can cure his dying mother:

“There might be almost anything. There might be fruit in some other world that would really cure his mother! And oh, oh- Well you know how it feels when you begin hoping for something that you want desperately badly; you almost fight against the hope because it is too good to be true; you’ve been disappointed so often before.”

This is the idea that people have about Christianity, and I, to my shame, and perhaps you too have or had this view about the Kingdom of God. We have this idea of the Kingdom of God as being this far fetched idea that can never be grasped. We think, “Sure the Kingdom is among us… but where?” “How can the Kingdom be here… in the here and now… when so much bad has happened?” But Jesus tells us that the Kingdom is here; the Kingdom is among us:

“From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17). “But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28). “Being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The Kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:19).

So what is the Kingdom? And how are we to understand this? I believe that if we look at Matthew 5:1-7:29 (the Sermon on the Mount.), then we will understand how Jesus views His Kingdom. This is what He wants His Kingdom to look like, and this is how He wants His Kingdom citizens to act. Jonathan R. Wilson, a professor of religious studies at Westmont College, says, “The Kingdom is present and actual wherever and whenever someone is restored to relationship with God, the enemy is loved, the hungry fed, the sick healed.” When we sit at a table and pass the salt to another, that is the Kingdom. When we, a disciple, pick up trash in our neighbors yard, that is the Kingdom. When we love our enemy and desperately desire to see him come to know Christ, that is the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is not wishful thinking, but it is a present reality that God requires His sons and daughters to live out. And this is not something we must work at to obtain, for “the Kingdom is among you.” Rather it is something that we must understand is already present. And God is ready for us to take hold of it. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

Now let us not get the Kingdom of God confused with the many ideologies that are present in our world. Examples of this would be: ‘The World is not evil’ or ‘all people are relatively good.’ The problem with these ideologies is that they are never obtainable. A perfect world is not obtainable without God ending it, and having all people loving one another is also unobtainable. Ideologies keep us hoping for something greater… something that is not the Kingdom… and this something will never come… it leaves us hurting and weeping. The things that we wanted most will never come to us… and this is desolating. We keep wanting to fall asleep… to have that dream once again. But why does God allow these things to creep up in our minds. Does God not want His people to have what they so desperately desire and also sometimes NEED!? Does God just keep things dangling over our heads making us grasp after it… knowing that we can never have it? And it hurts us so much.

Jesus does care. He showed this by displaying the greatest act of love: His sacrificial death on the cross. He gave us the most precious gift: eternal life. Jesus cares more than we could ever know. And He says to us, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 31-33). Now does that mean we will get what we want? No. But we will receive the gifts God knows we need, and only God knows what those things are. These desires will no longs carry as much weight in our hearts as they once did. They are no longer as important to us.

However, what if the things we desire desperately are: for our sick sister to get better, for daddy to stop beating mommy, for our sick mother to get well.

These are very dear questions. Does God care? How can a loving God allow mothers to die, kids to get sick, and husbands to abuse their wives? WHY?!

No simple answer will do. This has been a question asked to me several times by many people… some even believers who just can’t see God’s justice being displayed in all this. And as I would sit there and beg with God to answer me… Why do things like this have to happen? Why can’t those dreams that give us hope be real? Do you not hear your people crying out to You?!

And in His still quite voice God would speak… “I have indeed seen the misery of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out…” (Exodus 3:7) ‘and so I sent them Moses.’ ‘I have heard my people crying out for a king to rule over them, though they do not need one. And when they get one, they will no longer hold me as King in their hearts…. But I will give them David.’ I have seen My people crying out for Salvation… so I sent them my only Son (John 3:16).

God does hear His people. When bad things happen… when we are down on our knees crying and weeping before our God… I am convinced that our God is down on His knees holding us and weeping with us.
Why do bad things happen to His disciples? I don’t know… I’m sorry… but I don’t know. But I do know that when these painful times come and we want to put our faith and hope in an idea… we should instead seek His Kingdom… because we know that He loves us and is with us… “even to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) And when everything has been shaken, everything has been stripped down to leave nothing left…still.. “these three remain: Faith, Hope, and Love. But the greatest of these is Love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). He is that faith, hope, and love…. The true hope… that exists in the here and now… there is no need to fall asleep… or stay asleep… “for the Kingdom of Heaven is near” (Matthew 4:17). And it is far more real than any dream could possibly be.

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 04:54:04 GMT

"When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep." Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me." (John 21:15-19)

Jesus tells Peter that if he loves Him, he will feed His sheep. Not for the sake of being recognized as someone who fought with a sword gallantly, as Peter wished. But instead of using the sword Jesus asks Peter to use his heart: "Tend My sheep." Jesus tells him this because He knows that Peter has a great capacity to love.. he only lacks the direction.

Jesus loved the people and wept for them. "He had compassion on them like sheep without a shepherd." and in return He asks Peter to have the same heart and same attitude. Instead of using the physical force that Peter was used to using, Jesus asks him to use use the tender heart that Jesus knows he has... and through this Peter becomes the "rock" that Jesus told him he was... by loving God's people.

I see so many people today that try to represent Christ by using the sword.. by forcing there will upon others and making people look foolish... but this is not what Jesus asks of Peter... this is not being a shepherd. So many are still trying to dress themselves and walking where they want to go... ...but Jesus in His calm loving voice tells Peter: "when you are old , you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go." Jesus did not want Peter to die like a "warrior" (a death that bring glory to Peter.. not God) ...but like His Master... a humble death on a cross.

so often we try to make ministry about us.. we want people to notice the great things we have done. about what we can accomplish.. about who we can influence, but it should not be this way. This is not the way of the cross. "Love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this that he would lay down his life for his friends (John 15:12-13)." Are we willing to die daily for our friends... are we willing to humbly die?

i remember a song from long ago.. that has somehow stuck in my head..

"Here am i Lord. Is it i Lord? i have heard You calling in the night. I will go Lord, if You lead me. I will hold Your people in my heart."

Those of you who are one day going to be leaders please understand this. Feed His sheep... and "hold His people in your heart."

let's to be like Jesus... even in the little things... even when nobody else will notice.

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 23:45:54 GMT

Yesterday i went to chapel and heard the choirs sing Christmas carols. One particular song's chorus was: "Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel has come to thee O Israel."

I think about this song and it reminds me that Israel had at the time of Jesus' coming been expecting their messiah. The messiah that would right all wrong and heal God's people of their wrong doing... and lead them.

The first chapter of Matthew tells us that Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy: "The virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" which means "God with us." (Matthew 1:23)

The Angels told the shepherds that God had come to be with them! "Do not be afraid for i bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign unto you: you will find the Babe wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." (Luke 2:10-14)

Now in my prior to my salvation days i remember Christmas being a joyful occasion, but Christ was not my focus. Christmas was full of times to be with family. We would put up the tree and get really excited. And best of all we would go look at Christmas light. And those were good things. I loved it. But as Mark Yates says, "Sometimes we sacrifice the Best Thing for good things." This was the case for me and the rest of my family. We looked at the joy that Christmas brought without really understanding what we were celebrating. Yesterday as that song was sung i remembered the words of my good friend Derek Blaylock, "O Sweet Immanuel...our God with us." God came to dwell among us. What a beautiful display of love. The world was lost and helpless "till He appeared and the soul felt its worth."

Now i think about the times that God calls me to do things and i feel so helpless. i feel so overwhelmed by the tasks before me. they are so much bigger than what i can possible accomplish. But it is in these times that God Jesus proves that He is "GOD is with us!" Matthew tells his readers in the begining and the end of his book that Jesus is our Immanuel. "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE." (Matthew 28:18-20) Jesus tells us that we can be His sons and we can accomplish the things that He has given us, though times may be tough and ministry may be heart breaking because He tells us that He came to be Immanuel.

So this Christmas season i want to celebrate the sacrifice, love and commitment of our Lord who leads us not just in words but by Him being our Immanuel...our God with us even to the very end of the age.

after all, "that's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown."

Friday, November 03, 2006

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 08:12:37 GMT

I want to be like Christ... even in the little things... even when no body else will notice.

For the past two weeks God has been teaching me about what it means to be a disciple.
Now i had thought that in the past that i had this figured out. But like the disciples of Jesus when they too thought they had it all figured out, they like i am, were actually wrong.
Now i've been learning resently that a disciple is not just one that is 'disciplined' in religous ways, nor is one who seems to have it all figured out, but instead a disciple knows, with confidence, that Christ loves him (her).
Well what does this mean? We have heard "Christ loves you," and yet still seem to not be convinced. Or maybe we have reached a point where we think we have figured out the potential of God's love for us. ANd to some they see this "potential" and stand back and some what sigh in gloom hopeing that it was much more than what they percieve... yet we stay content with the amount of love we seem to feel God has towards us. I too was at this point...
But this journey of learning about the aboundance of God's love started with a sermon i had read by John Wesley: "The Almost Christian." In this sermon Wesley talked about what an almost Christian was. He said that an almost Christian was one who honestly sought to please God. This Almost Christian was one who prayed, fasted, and did so many things that seem to flow from an aboundance of faith... but Wesley said that they were only Almost Christians. When i had first read this i felt shocked. I wanted to lable Wesley as a heritic and let it be... but i kept reading... probably because of the conviction within my soul and the longing with in that told me "there has to be more to this Faith than this"... and i read to the part were Wesley started talking about what it means to be an Altogether Christian. He said, "Passionate, altogether love takes up all the affections. It fills the capacity of the soul, and employs the fullest extent of all its faculties. Anyone who loves God in this manner is continually rejoicing in God, his Savior. His delight is the Lord-his Lord and his all. In everything he gives thanks to God. All his desire is for God and to the rememberance of His name. His heart is ever crying out, "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing or no one upon the earth that I desire besides You" (Psalm 73:25).
I felt kind of cheated when i read this. I was wanting something new and profound, not something i had heard before so many times. "LOVE GOD!" I knew there was something more to this, but i just wasn't sure of what.
Later God brought me to 1Corinthians 13, where i read, "If i speak in the tounges of men and of angels but have not love, i am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbol. If i have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and if i have faith that can move mountians, but have not love i am nothing. If i give all i poccess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames but have not love i gain nothing."
The question arose then, "what is this love." I knew that i was stuck between being an almost Christian and an altogether Christian. I knew that i did not have this love that Wesley spoke of but i wanted it... i wanted it so bad...
Then over time at Carolina Creek on my knees praying to God for the kids in my group, i started to change. i started wanting to know Christ's heart more and more. I started to feel the pains Christ has for His people. I learned that i could know all the Bible verses and all the right things to say to people, but if i did not have love... it meant nothing.
I then started to understand... not by battleing the words of Wesley and Paul in my mind, but instead by feeling with the warmth of my soul that the heart can and does "rejoice in God, my Saviour. My delight is in the Lord- my Lord and my all. In everything i can give thanks to God. All my desires are and can be for God and to the rememberance of His name. And my heart can and is ever crying out, "Whom have i in heaven but You? And earth has nothing i desire besides You."
And it was then that i knew that God loved me. He loves me!
So then i went back and read Wesley's sermon agian and this time it made all the sense in the world. He was right. A man can really seek to please God... he can honestly memorize scripture... he can know how to give the finest speaches, but if he has not love he is nothing. This is what makes a Christian's faith worth living... God's love for us! And our love for one another.
A disciple knows and is convince that his Lord loves him. And this is why it will never make sense to prideful people. Some think that you should never take an insult... you should never make others better than yourself. But this is why... because they are not convinced that Christ loves them... Christ's love makes a disciple continue when he is stoned, whipped, ship wrecked, and crucified. Christ's love makes a disciple consider his life worth nothing if only God's name be glorfied and souls come savingly to Christ. A disciple loves people because God loves people. A disciple hurts for people... weeps when he seens others in pain... he has compassion on them as Christ does. A disciple takes the scorn and rejection of the world because a disciple wants to be like his Master.

"And i pray that you being rooted and estabolished in love may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17b-19)

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better that yourselves." (Philippians 2:3)

"And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1Corinthians 13:13)

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Sat, 19 Aug 2006 16:07:12 GMT

I havn't really been able to write on here for quite some time, but here goes my latest attempt at it:
This summer i had privalege of working at Carolina Creek Christian Camp again. It was a blast. I got to be with all my frineds agian. I really missed those guys.

God has been teaching a lot about being a shepherd... maybe one day i will be able to write more about that.

Also God has been teaching about love... and how much i lack in that field... Love is patient love i kind... ouch.... patient and kind.... it's so hard to be that to people who are not patient or kind...However with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

I miss all my ETBU friends and i can't wait to see you all again.

Until then...

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourself." (Philippians 2:3)

Monday, May 15, 2006

Mon, 15 May 2006 04:25:07 GMT

This is a long entry but it is worth the read....

It is funny how life keeps changing on you. One day you are playing ninja turtles with your brother in your room and the next you are feeling a deep anguish from a saddening loss.

My grand father died last Thursday. My dad and i were about to eat ice cream when we received a call form the nursing home my grandpa was staying at. They said that my grandpa was struggling to breath and that his body was rejecting the medications. My dad and i got in the van and drove to see him. My uncle Danny was there waiting on us. We went in and grandpa was struggling to breath just as they said. It was hard to watch, so my uncle Danny and i went into the lobby and started to talk. My Brother in law Nick came and stayed in the room with my dad. Then Jeff my youth minister showed up and came and sat down with Danny and i. Time began to pass... then we saw Nick come in. Nick motioned for us to come to the room. When we got there... my dad told me that my grandpa was gone.... I began to cry as i am doing now.

My grandpa loved to tell stories. Sometimes they were hard to believe, but the majority of them really happend. I feel that it would therefore be an honor to my grandfather if i told his story.

My grandpa grew up on a farm in Terrel, Texas. He had two brothers: Tom and Tator. Tator is my uncle Stan's nick name. When he was younger he loved to eat potatoes, so his mom nick named him Tator. My grandpa was around 17 when the great depression hit. His dad did all he could to support them, but he got sick. My grandpa graduated high school and stayed home to work on the farm to support his family. His younger brother, Stan, was still in high school. Stan was a great athlete. He was very good in track and football. I think i got my quick legs from him. Stan was very arrogant though. While my grandpa was busy working on the farm, Stan would stay in the house. He thought he was too good to work like a dog in the fields. My grandpa got tired of it one day and decided he would go and make Tator help. My grandpa and Tator got in a fight and my grandpa "licked" him good. Tator never disobeyed my grandpa again. WWII started and Tom, grandpa, and Tator joined the service. Tator became a fighter pilot, Grandpa became a airplane mechanic, and Tom, i think, joined the navy as a sailor. Gradpa was stationed in California. He quickly moved up the ranks and became a staff sergeant. He had to train men how to work on planes. Many men refused to listen to him... so he got in many more fights. One day my grandpa got a phone call from his mother. She told him that Tator had been shot down somewhere in the pacific. She said he was in some hospital but they she didn't know where. So my grandpa told her he would go find him. My grandpa set out tot find him and did in a hospital in northern California. Tator was on a bombing raid some where in the pacific. The Japanese fighter pilots were everywhere. Totor's plane got hit and he was starting to crash, when suddenly he saw a small island. Tator somehow managed to crash his plane on that small island. The next thing he knew he was in the hospital. The engine had blown up and blew part of his head off, but somehow he survived. Tator was in bad shape, but he was eventually healed. The day he got out of the hospital my grandpa took him out to a bar.. yeah a bar. Suddenly two marines came in looking for a fight. They saw that my grandpa had his army uniform on. (The marines did not like the army, they thought they were better than them.) So they stared to pick a fight with Tator and Grandpa. Tator said to my grandpa, "If they hit me on the head it might kill me." Grandpa said don't worry, go call the cops. If they get past me hide behind the bar tender. The bar tender was a friend of grandpa's and he had a shot gun behind the bar. But the bar tender wasn't able to use the shot gun that day, because my grandpa "licked" them both. Tator never was the same after that plane crash. He became very mean. Much of his brain was injured, and it effected his personality a lot. Grandpa after the war went back to Texas and found a young lady he had fallen in love with years before, Mary Alice Engly. My grandpa found her and asked her to marry him, of course she said yes. They Had 7 kids. Karen, Danny, Dicky, Freda, Chris, my Dad, and Kim. When my dad was 10 my grandma died of cancer. My grandpa was very heart broken and did not know what to do or how to bring up 7 kids on his own. he did the best he could. Years later he met a woman named Emily who also had kids to care for. Her husband had died and now she was faced with raising the kids on her own. My grandpa asked her to marry him. They needed each other. His kids needed a mom to care and clean for them. And her kids needed a dad to earn money and feed them. So it worked out perfectly. My grandpa was a very strict man. He very seldomly joked around a lot. But he was a very likable guy. He had several other adventures... and the best way for me to tell you about them would be the same way that they were told to me... sitting around a dinner table having a good time and listening to a wise old man who more than anything loved to tell stories.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Wed, 26 Apr 2006 15:12:50 GMT

Last Sunday I woke up really early and went to get breakfast. Then i went and sat in the gazebo and ate and wrote a little poem. It was so much fun. I love watching the birds flying around so early in the morning. They seem so full of energy so early in the morning. It was good...

I'm really excited about the summer. I know God will lead me to places i do not want to go, and do the things i do not want to do. GO GOD!!!!

I get to see my good friend Roy this weekend. I miss that guy so much.

Love you all!!!

Monday, April 10, 2006

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 15:41:09 GMT

Do you ever just want to dance on the way to class because you have the Joy of Christ just spewing from you? I love that feeling. Not all days are like that though...

I went home and spent time with my nephew, Jaylon. He is so great. I love that little guy.

well i have to go write a paper... these are some cool lyrics...

"We are one tonight and we're singing it out. We are one tonight and we're dreaming out loud. And the world is flawed and these scars will heal."

Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 18:39:16 GMT

I'm writing a paper over this verse: "They over came him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives to much as to shrink from death." (Revelation 12:11) Tell me what you think of it...

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you wake up and are so disappointed that the life you live is not the life that you had in the dream. You try to make yourself fall back asleep if only to have one more glimpse of this perfect world. You feel so happy in the dream. It seems like you are able to say all the things you wish to say without hesitation. Life is so simple in the dream. But that is what it is... only a dream.

I had one of those a few nights ago. I woke up wanting to wake up again but only this time to the dream. It was weird... for a brief moment as i woke i thought that my life had only existed in my dream and that the world that i woke up to was some other place... like it wasn't my home... ...I hope that is what Heaven is like... I will forget about this world and all its wounds that it gave me... all my tears will be wiped away by my Savior. And i will hear the words, "Well done good and faithful servant, with you I am well pleased."

Monday, April 03, 2006

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 01:57:45 GMT

I so hate consequences!!!